In this world, the longest road was Wade Reynolds' trap.
At this point, Tom had completely given in.
Forget it… as long as he got the benefits in the end, getting scamd a little didn't really matter.
Endure.
"So… whenever you're done playing, just let know how to land…" Tom said helplessly, floating in midair.
Wade, still on the ground, argued, "How can you say that? I'm not playing! I'm helping you get used to the feeling of steering. Once you figure it out, you'll naturally be able to co down."
"Yeah yeah… you're always right…" Tom couldn't even be bothered to argue with him anymore.
When it ca to being shaless, no one could beat Wade Reynolds. And the worst part was that when he wasn't acting like a decent person, he always had a ton of nonsense to justify it.
"Toby, look closely. This is an example of what not to do. When you cast any spell on yourself, you should first think about its counter curse…"
Hearing Wade using him as a teaching example for the house-elf, and speaking so quietly as if afraid he'd overhear, Tom couldn't even muster the energy to be mad anymore.
The real problem was, for so reason, he was starting to feel more and more exhausted…
He had no idea how much ti had passed, but Tom started feeling a little drowsy, as if he'd even dozed off for a mont.
When he opened his eyes again, he noticed that at so point, Wade had tied the rope that was supposed to hold him securely… to a tree off to the side.
As for Wade himself, he was sitting leisurely on a large rock, fishing.
Tom felt completely numb. Was this guy even human?
Though furious, he still raised his voice and shouted, "Wade… excuse … have you had enough fun yet? If you're done, could you let down?"
"What are you even saying? I'm helping you practice magic. Who's playing?" Wade replied casually. "Besides, you don't need to let you down. You'll co down on your own in a bit."
"Huh? What do you an?"
"When your stamina runs out and your magic runs dry… you'll fall," Wade said nonchalantly.
"Wait—fall?! Don't joke about this… Wade…"
"Who's joking with you?"
"You… no… you're just trying to scare , r-right?" Tom's voice started trembling.
At first, he thought Wade was just ssing with him and would let him down safely in the end.
But now… this guy was seriously saying he'd let him co down after his stamina and magic were drained?
He was at least ten ters off the ground! If he fell… he'd be splattered!
For soone like Tom, who was absolutely terrified of dying… this was a living nightmare.
"Wade Reynolds! Let down!" Tom roared.
"What? You don't want to co down. What's that got to do with ?" Wade answered innocently.
"I do want to co down! Really!"
"But you're still floating up there, aren't you? That just ans you don't want to co down."
"You… you absolute monster! You think I want to be floating up here?!"
"Of course. Weren't you the one begging to teach you this spell?"
"Aaahh! You're impossible! You're driving insane! If I die from this, I swear I'll haunt you forever! Just you wait!"
"Sigh… Tom, you're really hopeless. I even hinted it to you so clearly. Haven't I told you before? Magic is about the will. The spell has always been the sa. Whether you go up, down, left, right—it all depends on what you want."
Tom froze. "Wait… what…? Sothing that important, why didn't you say it earlier? Why didn't you say it earlier?!"
"I did tell you! I clearly said it earlier! I literally told you, 'When you want to co down, you'll co down!' Didn't I? Ask Tobby if you don't believe ," Wade huffed in annoyance.
"Oh! Yes! Master Wade did say that. It's just that Master Tom didn't take it seriously," Tobby nodded earnestly.
Tom thought back for a mont… and realized… Wade had actually said that. Word for word.
"…Is there… any chance… you could've just explained it more directly?" Tom groaned, feeling ntally exhausted beyond belief.
Taking a deep breath, he carefully recited the spell again, focused all his will, and visualized himself descending.
Sure enough, the mont he did, his body started turning into black mist and began drifting downward.
Except… sothing didn't feel right.
Because the descent was getting faster… and faster.
"Wait… hold on… You scamd again, didn't you?! Aaaaah—"
SPLASH!
Tom plunged straight into the lake.
Heh~
By the ti he dragged his drenched, exhausted self out of the water, Wade was standing there calmly, checking his pocket watch.
"You absolute—" Tom started, only to choke on his own words.
Wade cut him off mid-sentence. "Thirty minutes and forty seconds… Not bad, Tom."
"…What?"
"I'm saying, thirty minutes and forty seconds—that's your current flight limit. If you go past that, you run out of stamina and fall."
"How do you even know my limit?"
"I just asured it. Right now. What, are you slow today? You didn't seriously think I made you float that long just to ss with you… did you?"
Tom lay face down on the ground for a long mont, stunned. Finally, he flopped onto his back in the mud, stared up at the sky, and weakly muttered, "Bloody fucking hell…"
Fine. As much as he hated to admit it… Wade always had a point.
He was starting to suspect that every ti this guy tricked soone, he'd already planned ten different backup explanations in advance.
No—more accurately, Wade never tricked people for no reason. Sohow, every single prank ended up sounding aningful afterward.
Even though this whole thing was exhausting… figuring out his current flight stamina limit was useful. Extrely useful.
Still, the feeling of wanting to curse soone but having no legitimate excuse… was bloody miserable.
Whatever.
At least he'd gotten a free flying spell out of it. Could've been worse.
Just as Tom was starting to drift off, half-asleep in the grass, a snowy owl swooped down from the treetops, a letter clutched in its beak.
"Huh? Who's that for?" Wade asked curiously, looking up.
"Obviously it's for you. Who else? You know I don't have friends," Tom groaned, still sprawled out in the mud, too exhausted to even bother rolling over.
By then, Wade had already taken the letter and opened it.
"Oh, look at that… It's for you, not ." Wade grinned and flicked his wand.
The letter floated over to hover right above Tom's face, perfectly positioned so he could read it without even lifting a finger.
...
Mr. Riddle,
We have received a report that at approximately 9:30 this morning, you perford a levitation-type charm outdoors.
As you are well aware, underage wizards are strictly forbidden from performing magic outside of school. Further violations of this kind may result in expulsion from Hogwarts (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Clause 3).
Additionally, please rember that according to Section 13 of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, any magical activity that risks exposure to mbers of the non-magical community (Muggles) constitutes a serious offense.
Wishing you an enjoyable sumr holiday,
Narl Gabraith
...
Tom shot upright. "Hold on—mate!"
Staring at Wade, who was now grinning smugly like the cat that caught the canary, Tom let out a wail of despair. "Why?! You were using magic too! Why is it only getting the warning?!"
"Oh, right… forgot to ntion." Wade's smile widened. "I already figured out how to block the Trace."
"Is there… any chance you could teach how to do that?" Tom asked, his expression so numb it was almost pitiful. "You know, it'd be… convenient for both of us if I learned."
Wade shrugged. "Sorry, totally slipped my mind. You know how it is—I just invented a brilliant new spell, got a little too excited… kinda forgot that out here isn't classified as a wizarding settlent, so it's really easy for the Ministry to pick up on magic."
"Bloody fuckig fuckity fuck!! Wade, you absolute nace! So this was your trap all along?" Tom groaned and flopped back into the mud again.
"Language, Tommy boy! And why are you frustrated? You wound . When did I ever set a trap for you? Heh heh~ Relax, Tom. It's just a warning letter. They won't expel you… yet."
__________
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